Swimbait fishing is one of my true passions, and something I have devoted the majority of my fishing time towards over the last four years. I will launch an ongoing series on swimbait fishing from a kayak fisherman’s point of view. Although a “Kayak Swimbait 101” crash course is on the way, I find that mistakes teach more than lectures. These Top 10 mistakes are all hard-learned, hard-earned topics I hear echoed by other experienced swimbait fishermen.

Have you ever opened your tackle tray and wondered why you have all these deep-diving crankbaits when you’re fishing in a grassy, five-acre pond? Most of us have had this moment. I shake my head when I see an angler load seven rods and ten trays of lures into an already-overburdened kayak.

With the first day of my swimbait-smallmouth trip down, we crashed at a cheap motel and spent the remainder of the night huddled over smart phones pouring over Google Maps. We had a plan in place, but wanted to extend our float option for this final leg. The tricky part of digital scouting is that just because the road runs along the river doesn’t mean that you can get to the water easily or legally.

As a teacher with summers off, I used to spend at least three or four days a week on the water. That gave me so much time to get pictures, video, try out new techniques, and really key into what the fish were doing in my local bodies of water. Adulthood, home ownership, and holding my son out of daycare to be a full-time parent during the summer has cut into my fishing time, so I may only get on the water once every couple of weeks.

Catching bass isn’t just about finding the right locations, patterns and lures. I consider it to be a mental game just like golf. Sure, you can beat the banks while chatting with your fishing partners and taking in the scenery, and you will most likely have a bass impale itself on your lure. But, if you aren’t on point, with your gear, technique, and concentration, you are missing a world of opportunities. 

When the conditions get tough and your well-laid plans and predicted patterns go out the window, good old shakeyhead will be there for you. The shakeyhead worm is possibly one of the most effective techniques available to bass fishermen. It is a staple for both boaters and co-anglers alike on every bass fishing tournament series across the globe.

My father and I paddled a peaceful Alabama creek this past summer, and I captured some of the most exciting swimbait fishing I have ever experienced. I knew this trip would be special when my 6” Bull Shad got hammered on the very first cast.

My fresh 2015 Jackson Kayak “Kilroy” sat patiently in my garage awaiting that ritual all kayak owners relish: the slime job. But what exactly is “sliming” and where did this odd tradition come from?

Humility comes upon us in a variety of ways. Often, it is our arrogance crashing down upon our heads. Sometimes it is just an unfortunate event that teaches us the deepest of lessons. Although the 2014 tournament season on the River Bassin Trail brought me angling success and four new personal records for bass, it served some mighty, heaping helpings of humble pie.

Soft jerkbaits are quite possibly one of the most consistent lures in your tackle box. There are a multitude of different offerings by plastic companies, but much like the soft drink world, they are all called “flukes” thanks to the popularity of Zoom Bait Company’s “Super Fluke”. I prefer Zoom’s super fluke for my soft jerkbait applications.